When scientists talk about the cryosphere, they mean the places on Earth where water is in its solid form, frozen into ice or snow. Read more ...

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Note: This data set was first published on the 1998 CAPS CD.The text for this document was taken unchanged from that CD.

Study location

Period of investigation

1990-1995

Description

The investigated area forms part of the western lobe of the Swiss Prealps. The 25 identified fossil rock glaciers are found mainly in the Prealpes Medianes Rigides Nappe and the Niesen Nappe, at altitudes of 1500 to 2100 m. They represent at least 3 generations of fossil periglacial forms of late-glacial age (older than Boelling), at about 1200, 950 and 700 m, respectively, below today's permafrost boundary. These fossil features are related to glacial stages and form part of a detailed late-glacial morphostratigraphy. Information in the files includes: orientation, elevation of the source and the front, area, type of form, type of material, lithology and generation.

Current storage of data

The inventory is stored on electronic file (Filemaker Pro 2.0 for Macintosh) and on paper. The data are not at risk of being lost, as they are stored at: